AJ Buckley Show

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Pixie Paula: The Striped Pig Story & Disrupting a Multi-Trillion Dollar Industry | AJ Buckley Show Sep 29, 2026

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What happens when a woman who once put ice in her red wine takes over a distillery at 58, wins Distillery of the Year, and disrupts a multi-trillion dollar industry? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Pixie Paula, the force behind Striped Pig Distillery, whose story reads like something out of a movie, except every single word of it is true. This conversation is raw, hilarious, and packed with wisdom about entrepreneurship, faith, manifestation, and what it means to turn water into wine in more ways than one.
Pixie opens up about growing up with a father who lived under floorboards to survive, lied about his age to join the army just to have a bed, and gave her the greatest gift of all by never saying can't. She shares the story of sweeping hair at a salon for a nickel an hour, watching Avon ladies sell lipstick and make bank, and realizing at a young age that she wanted to be an entrepreneur, not someone doing manual labor for pennies. Pixie reflects on her mother being the first in her family to complete college, working as an old school telephone operator, and instilling in her the belief that she could reach for the stars no matter what.
AJ and Pixie dive deep into the moment she walked into American Express pregnant, took the Series Seven exam while about to deliver baby number five, and peed in the chair because she refused to forfeit the test. She talks about becoming the first sexual harassment case for American Express, fighting for equal pay for equal work, and why she didn't even want the money but realized how important it was to be the example. Pixie also shares the story of redesigning American Express in 1994, getting the call from the CEO who said she didn't qualify for the job but loved her attitude, and becoming a top-rated trainer who changed lives across the country.
Then comes the story of the dream that changed everything. Pixie walks AJ through the New Year's Eve dream where the entire sip and share model was revealed to her, the moment she realized she could leverage the bar that nobody was using at black tie fundraisers, and why turning water into wine was the first recorded miracle of Jesus for a reason. She talks about taking over Striped Pig Distillery when it was nearly insolvent, seeing bourbon as an asset class appreciating at 400% a year, and why the angel share, perfection under pressure, and aging bourbon taught her more about God than she ever learned in church.
Pixie also opens up about her divorce, losing everything, taking a loan against her bourbon to survive, and the glorious moment she paid off the note the day before it was due and got her bourbon back. She shares the historic tale of the Striped Pig from 1838, the first viral drinking game, the first meme, and the first speakeasy before Prohibition, and why that story became the foundation of her brand.
00:00 Intro: The Striped Pig Story & Distillery of the Year
02:07 Childhood & The Power of Not Saying Can't
02:12 The Avon Lightbulb: First Lesson in Entrepreneurship
06:00 The Floorboards: A Father's Survival Story
13:31 Nine Lives & Medical Anomalies
16:50 Breaking Barriers: The American Express Story
19:45 Peeing in That Chair: The Series Seven Exam
24:08 Equal Pay for Equal Work: The First Case
26:51 Magic Powers & Tuned Into the Universe
30:52 Who Are You? The Forum & Finding Possibility
36:22 The Dream That Changed Everything
42:48 Turning Water Into Wine: The First Miracle
51:05 Sip and Share: Disrupting a Multi-Trillion Dollar Industry
53:12 The Bar Nobody's Leveraging
1:03:46 The Striped Pig Legend: 1838 Going Viral
1:05:02 Divorce Bourbon & Getting It Back
1:14:33 369: The Numbers & Master Path
1:28:58 Forrest Gump & Learning About Love
1:39:31 I Need the Key to Unlock My Feet
1:48:13 Get Me Out of My Own Way
1:54:30 Frequency Is What You Frequently See
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Ryah | Girl Mom 💗 (@ryahgirlmom) | TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@ryahgirlmom)

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Doug Ellin: Entourage, The Pitch That Changed Everything & Why He Left LA | AJ Buckley Show Sep 27, 2026

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What happens when the creator of one of the most iconic television shows of all time sits down to talk about bagels, pickleball, fires, fatherhood, and the pitch that changed everything? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Doug Ellin, the writer, director, and showrunner who created Entourage, the HBO series that defined a generation and changed television forever. This conversation is raw, hilarious, and packed with behind the scenes stories about Mark Wahlberg, Jeremy Piven, the Writer's Strike, and why Doug left Los Angeles for good.
Doug opens up about meeting AJ at a Nashville bagel shop, his new life in Tennessee after fleeing the fires and crime of LA, selling his Manhattan Beach home, and what it's like raising a three year old daughter at 55 years old. He shares his thoughts on sugar, discipline, participation trophies, and why the younger generation isn't lazy but lacking real leadership. Doug reflects on growing up on Long Island, his father who passed away at 93, and the reversal of roles when the child becomes the parent.
AJ and Doug dive deep into Doug's journey from stand up comedy to screenwriting, working in the mailroom at New Line Cinema, and the moment Mike DeLuca gave him 10 grand out of his own pocket to make a short film. Doug shares the story of almost directing The Parent Trap at 22 years old, bombing the meeting, and learning the brutal reality of Hollywood where you can go from hero to zero overnight. He talks about the lawyer who promised to be with him for 30 years and never called him back, the independent film that got released on 2200 screens and tanked his career, and the Curb Your Enthusiasm spec script he wrote in 45 minutes that saved everything.
Then comes the story everyone wants to hear. Doug walks AJ through the birth of Entourage, the moment Mark Wahlberg and Lev Levinson pitched him the idea of following Mark's friends around with a camera, and why Doug thought it was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard. He shares the HBO pitch that felt like they owned Hollywood, the 50 thousand dollar script deal, and the two years of torture where HBO made him write 40 drafts including one insane note about Windtalkers that forced him to rewrite the entire script in a new dialect in Palm Springs in 120 degree heat.
Doug also opens up about casting lightning in a bottle with Dylan McDermott, Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, and Jerry Ferrara, the moment he knew Jeremy Piven would kill it as Ari Gold, and why AJ's audition with the yo dog you didn't get me the Coke line was over the second he walked in the room. He reflects on Long Island energy, why authenticity matters, and the importance of showing up for people even when you're not super close.
Doug and AJ also get into the Writer's Strike, why Doug was so anti strike after COVID, the crews who got wiped out, and why less writers are working now than before the strike. Doug breaks down the difference between problem solving and problem creating, why he hates most actors, and why the crew members who show up three hours early and stay three hours late deserve more credit than anyone in Hollywood. This conversation is packed with wisdom about gratitude, friendship, fatherhood, discipline, and what it means to build something that lasts.
If you grew up watching Entourage, if you're a writer trying to navigate the industry, or if you just want to hear one of the greatest behind the scenes stories ever told, this episode will blow your mind.
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Andy Stumpf: From Team Six to Cleared Hot Podcast & The Jump That Raised $700K | AJ Buckley Show Sep 22, 2026

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What happens when a kid from Santa Cruz, California hears about Navy SEALs at 11 years old and never looks back? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Andy Stumpf, the former SEAL Team Six operator who jumped from 36,500 feet, raised $700,000 for charity, became a professional BASE jumper, and built one of the biggest podcasts in the world, Cleared Hot. This conversation is raw, hilarious, and packed with wisdom about identity, fatherhood, discipline, and what it means to be defined by who you are, not what you did.
Andy opens up about growing up in a Navy family, his dad being a machine gunner on patrol boats in Vietnam, and the moment he first heard about Navy SEALs. He shares the story of bringing a Navy recruiter home when he was a junior in high school, sitting her down with his parents who signed the paperwork when he was 17, and heading off to boot camp in the Chicago area right after graduation. Andy talks about the attrition rate at BUDS, the injury rate that most people don't realize until they go back as instructors, and why he made it through on his first attempt by focusing on the micro adversities instead of the macro goal.
AJ and Andy dive deep into what it was like growing up on a construction site with his mason father, moving pallets of bricks at 11 years old, learning how to compartmentalize pain and focus on the one trip instead of the thousands ahead, and why those micro challenges on a job site prepared him for Hell Week more than any class at SEAL training ever could. Andy reflects on the reality that mental toughness and resilience are both born and trained, the importance of challenging yourself at a micro level before the world does at a macro level, and why setting an alarm and making your bed is just as powerful as a cold plunge if you're starting from scratch.
Then comes the story of getting shot in 2005 while deployed with a SEAL Team Six squadron, being on the other side of the door from Tyler Gray on the same target, and the long road of nerve damage recovery that made him a BUDS instructor while he rehabbed. Andy opens up about doctors telling him I don't know more times than he could count, the frustration of not having a definitive answer, and why he ultimately became the last determining factor in whether or not he was ready to return to the teams.
Andy also shares the story of the world record wingsuit jump from 36,500 feet, going 18 miles in the air while wearing shorts and a t-shirt under his gear because it was negative 50 at altitude and 100 degrees on the ground. He talks about raising $700,000 for the Navy SEAL Foundation, the sequential steps he took to make it happen, finding mentors with immense experience, and why by the time you get to the day, if you've done the requisite training, it's not that big of a deal. Andy also opens up about his years as a professional BASE jumper, flying wingsuits through canyons in Switzerland, the behind the scenes work that never makes it to YouTube, and why Tom Cruise is next level because of the months of training he does before every stunt.
Andy also opens up about his divorce, the most alone he's ever felt in his life, the questions he had about himself as a man and a father, and why it was harder than going through SEAL training multiple times. He talks about the importance of asking for help, the strength it takes to admit when you need it, and why he has never been turned down or judged when he's asked for it. Andy also shares his North Star, his wife's ability to see the best in people, and the quote he lives by: what you allow in your presence is your standard.
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Richard Speight Jr.: Band of Brothers & The Scene He Wrote That Made It to Screen | AJ Buckley Show Sep 20, 2026

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What happens when an actor walks into a room with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and nearly has a panic attack before landing the role of a lifetime? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Richard Speight Jr., the actor, director, and musician whose career spans from Band of Brothers to Supernatural, and whose stories about fatherhood, filmmaking, and the cost of ambition will leave you inspired and emotional.
Richard opens up about growing up in Nashville as one of five kids, starting tap dancing as a young boy because he wanted to be Fred Astaire, doing local theater, and landing his first acting gigs in Disney Channel movies shot in his hometown. He shares the story of working on Ernest Goes to Camp, getting exposed to being on set as a teenager, and the moment he applied to the University of Southern California film and theater school, where he learned the mathematical precision of comedy, the rhythm of storytelling, and why Steve Martin albums and Bugs Bunny taught him more about entertainment than anything else.
AJ and Richard dive deep into what it means to understand story, why some actors have a film IQ that allows them to see the heartbeat of a scene, and how Richard trained himself to never just point out a problem without offering a solution. Richard talks about the difference between problem solving and problem creating, why changing lines as a guest star is a no go but as an indie film actor it's all hands on deck, and the responsibility every storyteller has to make the story as good as it can be.
Then comes the story everyone wants to hear. Richard walks AJ through the audition process for Band of Brothers, the moment he almost had a nervous breakdown in the waiting room when Tom Hanks walked by with a giant beard while losing weight for Castaway, the angry coach voice in his head that told him to shut the fuck up and go in there, and the callback at Lantana Center where Steven Spielberg unclipped the camera from the tripod and went handheld to shoot Richard's audition while Donnie Wahlberg chain smoked his face off. Richard shares the months of waiting, the assumption he didn't get the job, and the phone call that changed his life when his agent told him he was the first guy cast.
Richard opens up about the nine months in England shooting Band of Brothers, the responsibility of playing Skip Muck, a real man who died in the Battle of the Bulge, and how he tracked down Skip's family through the Chamber of Commerce, opened up wounds that had been closed for 40 years, and received letters that he plastered all over his room. He talks about the monologue he delivered about swimming the Niagara River that wasn't in the script but came from a letter Skip's sister sent him, the moment he got into it with HBO because they weren't going to invite Skip's family to the premiere, and why he told them they could uninvite him but his people were coming.
Richard also shares the story of going to Tom Hanks and telling him Skip Muck wasn't being established enough in the story, the fear that he might get fired, and the night Tom asked him to write a scene that would be shot in a deuce and a half with five characters. Richard wrote the scene, including the line feet hand neck balls extra socks warms them all, and Tom Hanks asked if it was a real World War II rhyme. Richard also talks about the disposable camera Neil McDonough used to take a photo of Tom Hanks peeing, the eight by ten he framed and titled Battle of Draining the Bulge, and why Band of Brothers affected everything in his life, how he views himself as an actor, as a man, as an American, and as a patriot.
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Will Yun Lee: The Call That Changed Everything & Fighting for His Son's Life | AJ Buckley Show Sep 15, 2026

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What happens when a father gets a phone call that changes everything? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Will Yun Lee, the actor who has fought James Bond, Wolverine, and some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but nothing prepared him for the fight of his life when his three year old son had a massive stroke thousands of miles away from home.
Will opens up about being born in Virginia, his father being one of the first taekwondo masters to come to the United States, his parents getting divorced when he was five, and spending six years moving from family to family while his dad tried to figure out life. He shares the story of moving to Hawaii at 10 years old, living in a motel where the kitchen and bathroom were the same, his dad driving taxis, and getting beat up constantly until he finally asked his father to teach him martial arts. Will talks about putting on his first white belt at 13, training six hours a day, becoming obsessed with Bruce Lee, and setting his sights on the Olympics after Taekwondo was introduced in 1988.
AJ and Will dive deep into what it was like moving 23 different schools growing up, always being the scared kid walking into a new place, and how college became his first real home because it was the first time he didn't move within 12 months. Will reflects on taking over his dad's martial arts schools, building them up to 1200 students, and the moment he realized if he was going to be broke, he might as well chase acting. He shares how Jason Scott Lee in the Bruce Lee story inspired him as the first Asian American he saw on screen who was cool, how he packed up a Jeep Wrangler with a thousand bucks and a boom box and moved to LA, and why he knew he had to become a white belt all over again.
Will takes AJ through his journey of turning down every martial arts audition for three years because he needed to learn how to act, the moment he auditioned for Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnan, and what it was like shooting the opening sequence of a James Bond movie at Pinewood Studios. He talks about working with David Leitch and the 8711 stunt team, learning choreography through repetition and forms, and why he loves the language of understanding camera and action at the same time. Will also opens up about working with Ben Stiller, watching masters like Chad Stahelski obsess over every frame of fighting, and why Bruce Lee will always be the GOAT for shooting fight strategy on film in the 1970s.
Then comes the story that will break you. Will shares the phone call he got while shooting Falling Water in New York, his wife telling him their three year old son Cash was in the emergency room, his whole right side of his body not working, and the devastating diagnosis of Moya Moya, a rare brain disease that left Cash with only three pipes carrying blood to his brain instead of a thousand. Will walks AJ through the four year dark tunnel with no light, the misdiagnosis, the chemotherapy Cash didn't need, the 11 hour drips every other week, and the three massive strokes that should have ended his life. He talks about his wife wrapping 12 gifts on Sunday nights to get through 12 hour chemo days, the moment he asked why us, and how faith and thousands of prayers saved his son's life. Today, Cash is 13 years old, training at Nike camp, competing in tennis tournaments, and defying every piece of paper that says he shouldn't be able to walk or talk.
Will also opens up about what that journey taught him about his wife, how marriages can go left or right during trauma, and why he picked the right one who became stronger because of the mission. He reflects on his father never giving speeches but teaching through how he greeted people, how his eyes sparkled around kids, and why his North Star is still the man who left an imprint on his soul. Will also shares what it was like shooting The Odyssey with Christopher Nolan for seven months, hiking 45 minutes up mountains in 40 pounds of gear, no trailers, no food, just pure filmmaking, and why Nolan is a master who somehow makes the weather bend to his will.
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Eddie Cahill & Carmine Giovinazzo: The Untold CSI:NY Stories & Gary Sinise's Legacy | AJ Buckley Show Sep 13, 2026

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What happens when three brothers from CSI: NY reunite after more than a decade and pull back the curtain on one of the biggest crime dramas in television history? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Eddie Cahill and Carmine Giovinazzo for an emotional, hilarious, and deeply personal conversation about friendship, acting, the golden era of television, and the show that changed all of their lives.
Eddie opens up about his first gig on Sex and the City, the moment Sarah Jessica Parker left her cell phone number on a post-it note in his dressing room, how he shit the bed in the audition but got hired anyway after she brought producers to see him in an off-Broadway play, and the surreal experience of walking onto a Steven Spielberg set as a young unknown actor. He shares the story of landing Friends in the seventh season, meeting his manager through a holding deal that came out of nowhere, and the gamble he took when he left his agency to bet on himself.
Carmine takes AJ through the wild story of how he got CSI: NY, the moment he walked into the test deal at CBS and saw Balthazar Getty sitting across from him, and the ballsy decision to ignore the rewritten sides and perform the original scene instead, telling the room it was better than the rewrites. He talks about growing up in a family of cops, knowing the character was in his blood, and the moment Anthony Zuiker laughed in the back of the room and gave him the role that would define his career.
AJ reflects on his own bumbling beginnings on CSI: NY, showing up as an extra with no character name, knocking over beakers in the lab, sweating through scenes with Gary Sinise thinking he was being fired, and the moment the producers thought his nervous energy was a brilliant acting choice. He shares the story of getting cast in Die Hard 4 after three callbacks where he lied about being able to roller skate, only to have his scene cut from the final film.
They dive deep into the magic of Gary Sinise, the pride he took in the show, the 9/11 episode that became one of the most powerful moments in television, and the text message Eddie received from Gary years later about rewatching the episode Charge of This Post and thinking about the words he said to his son Mac. AJ gets emotional talking about the brotherhood they built, the decade they spent together, and the way Gary led with humility, kindness, and an uncynical love for the work.
Eddie also opens up about why he quit acting, the demotivating reality of self-taping, the loss of human connection in the audition process, and his pivot into furniture making and finding fulfillment outside of Hollywood. Carmine reflects on the struggle of adapting to the Instagram era, the pressure to build a brand, and why he's still chasing the magic of being in the room with other actors. AJ talks about the precious nature of time as a father, the importance of only taking work that moves the needle, and why he won't be away from his kids unless it's for something meaningful.
They also share legendary behind-the-scenes stories, including the Roma Fiction Fest trip to Italy, the Cartier watches they got for the 100th episode, the day Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones rolled down his limo window and invited them to a concert, and the heartbreak of finding out the show was canceled after nine seasons. This conversation is raw, nostalgic, and packed with wisdom about friendship, fatherhood, the cost of ambition, and what it means to honor your story.
If you grew up watching CSI: NY, if you're an actor trying to navigate the industry, or if you just want to hear three brothers talk about the best years of their lives, this episode will take you back to a time when television was magic and the people you worked with became family.
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Brad Lea: From Sleeping on a Beach to Dropping Bombs with the Best in the World | AJ Buckley Show Sep 08, 2026

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What happens when a 17 year old kid gets kicked out of his house, drops out of high school, and three days before starring in his first movie gets recast because the producer's son got out of rehab? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Brad Lea the entrepreneur who turned rejection into rocket fuel and built one of the biggest podcasts in the world, Dropping Bombs, where the most powerful people on Earth now come to him.
Brad opens up about growing up in a blue collar family, watching his dad lose everything when a business partner let the insurance lapse, and the moment he realized the person who signs the checks has all the power. He shares the story of quitting a miserable forest service job after being told poison oak was just part of the gig, walking into a car dealership, getting handed the keys to a brand new Trans Am, and making six grand in his first two weeks selling cars. That moment changed everything. Brad fell in love with sales, mastered the art of closing, and discovered that commission only work was the key to unlimited income.
AJ and Brad dive deep into the pivotal moment when Brad auditioned for a leading role in a movie opposite Pam Springsteen, Bruce's sister, directed by Mark Rydell, only to have the part ripped away three days before production when the producer's son got out of drug rehab. That's when Brad made a decision. He wasn't going to chase fame as a broke actor. He was going to get rich first, write the check himself, and come back on his own terms. And that's exactly what he did.
Brad takes AJ through the journey of inventing Lightspeed, the first interactive online training platform in the world, back in 1999 when nobody believed online education would work. He talks about the eight years of struggle, being behind on child support, hiding his car from repo men, and refusing to quit even when everyone said it was impossible. Then he shares the breakthrough moment when he realized it wasn't just about delivering information, it was about repetition, practice, and accountability. That's when everything changed.
Brad also opens up about the moment he stopped chasing money for himself and started helping other people make money. He talks about teaching a broke Spanish guy in the back of a car dealership how to close, watching his life transform from minimum wage to 20 grand a month, and realizing for the first time in 30 years that he cared about someone other than himself. That shift from selfish to selfless is when Brad went from struggling to making a million dollars a month.
They also talk about closing Tony Robbins, Grant Cardone, Zig Ziglar, and John Maxwell on using his platform, the power of relationships over money, the importance of getting everything in writing even with your best friend, and why Brad gave away two thirds of his company to friends who later tried to boot him out. Brad breaks down the super vote clause he put in the bylaws that saved his ass, the betrayal he faced, and the hard lessons learned about trust and business.
AJ and Brad also discuss fatherhood, having seven kids from four women, learning from past mistakes, and why the younger generation isn't lazy but lacking real leadership. Brad opens up about his faith, why his North Star is now Yeshua, and how the book of Proverbs is the ultimate business success manual. He also shares the story of sitting down with Alec Baldwin on the set of Knott's Landing, asking for advice on becoming an actor, and Alec telling him to never get out of line, just stand there as long as it takes and you will eventually get to buy your milk.
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Daniel Corbett: The Navy SEAL Arrested in Serbia & His 18-Month Fight for Freedom | AJ Buckley Show Sep 06, 2026

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What happens when a Navy SEAL from DEVGRU walks away from the teams and becomes a mercenary, only to end up arrested in Serbia and held in a pre-World War II prison for 18 months? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Daniel Corbett, also known as DC, a former SEAL Team Six operator whose life took a turn that reads like a Hollywood thriller, except every single word of it is true.
DC opens up about growing up in a loving, supportive military family, bouncing around from Hawaii to Germany to Texas, and discovering football as an outlet for crushing people on the field. He shares the moment an assistant coach handed him a VHS tape about Navy SEALs, how he watched it and knew instantly that was his calling, and why he signed his delayed entry at 17 years old as an insurance policy against taking a year off after high school. DC talks about Hell Week, the misconception that the teams teach you resilience when you actually have to show up with it, and why the hardest thing about Hell Week wasn't the cold or the pain but realizing people could quit and he never even thought about it.
AJ and DC dive deep into what it was like deploying to Iraq in 2005 with SEAL Team Five, convoying through Route Irish and Route Michigan, getting hit by IEDs, and the surreal moment he realized he was in a real firefight but his training was so good it felt like another drill. DC reflects on the difference between being angry at the enemy and being in the zone, why he compares being a SEAL to being a surgeon who walks into the operating room calm and methodical, and how endurance sports taught him to go to that room in his head where pain becomes furniture and discomfort becomes a fireplace.
Then comes the story of leaving SEAL Team Six, becoming an instructor, and eventually stepping into the mercenary world because the war had slowed down and the politics had become unbearable. DC breaks down the difference between being a soldier who follows orders and being a contractor who can say no, the frustration of working with rusty AKs instead of quad nods and white phosphorus, and why he never drank the Kool-Aid or lost his identity when he left the teams because he already knew who he was before he ever joined.
DC takes AJ through the arrest in Serbia, the moment he thought he'd be held for two days but ended up in a pre-World War II prison for three months, the day he was told he was free to go only to find out someone called the judge and said the American will be charged with something, and the 18-month nightmare of waiting for a trial with no jury, no end date, and a judge who had to choose between external government pressure and doing her job. He shares what it was like being in a cell with a guy who murdered his wife with a hammer, a gypsy kidnapper, and a Croatian football hooligan, how the Serbian prisoners revered him because the newspaper said he was there to kill the president everyone hated, and why the first meal he ate when he got back to America was a Big Mac number one and a number two at McDonald's with mom, dad, and his brother.
This conversation is raw, emotional, and packed with wisdom about identity, resilience, prioritizing instead of compartmentalizing, racing your own race, and what it means to know who you are as a man before the world tries to tell you. DC also opens up about his vision to create a fund for veteran entrepreneurs in the arts, pairing guys up with directors, actors, producers, and musicians, because the creative side of the special operations brain is an untapped market that deserves a structured path.
If you're a veteran trying to figure out what's next, an artist searching for your voice, or someone who wants to hear one of the wildest true stories ever told, this episode will blow your mind.
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Byron Rodgers: The IED That Killed Him & His Conversation with God | AJ Buckley Show Sep 01, 2026

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What happens when a Marine Corps infantryman gets blown up by an IED in Iraq, leaves his body, and has a conversation with God that changes everything? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Byron Rodgers, a man whose life reads like something out of a movie, except every single word of it is true.
Byron opens up about growing up between two worlds, spending summers in the Bahamas spearfishing with his father and winters in Washington state with his mother, building self reliance and dexterity from a young age. He shares the story of hearing God's voice for the first time at five years old, following divine instructions that saved his family from an assassination attempt, and how that moment planted a seed of faith that would carry him through the darkest valleys of his life.
In 2004, Byron joined the Marine Corps infantry as an 0351 assault man with 3-1 Lima Company Weapons Platoon, the legendary unit that set Fallujah back seven years in time. He walked into a unit of hardened warriors fresh from Fallujah, a place he describes as juvenile hall meets Lord of the Flies, where the real education began. Byron takes AJ through the invasion of Haditha, the eerie sound of psyops blasting heavy metal and screaming women through the streets, the chaos of combat, and the brothers he carries with him to this day, including Lance Corporal Stacy and Stokes, men who gave everything.
Then comes the moment that defines Byron's entire life. On his last deployment, Byron was hit by a 60 pound IED that detonated directly underneath his seat. He died. He left his body. He found himself in darkness, realizing with crushing sorrow that he was dead, a pile of guts on the floor in Iraq, apologizing to everyone he loved. But then he prayed. He prayed the prayer that brought him back. He promised God that if he got another chance, he would go as hard as he could with the life he was given. And God answered.
Byron came back. He kicked his way out of a burning vehicle, ran into a field, and got back to work. That moment became his North Star, the moment he lives from to this day, waking up at 3:30 in the morning, going hard, keeping his promise to God. AJ and Byron dive deep into what it means to live from that place, how to hear God's voice, why you don't need to be perfect to start your faith journey, and how the lie that you're not worthy is one of the most effective weapons the enemy uses to stop good men from stepping into their calling.
After the Marine Corps, Byron was bussing tables at 21 years old when a man watched him work and told him to go get two permits. Three months later, Byron was on one of the most traveled executive protection details in the country, flying private jets, hitting 60 countries a year, protecting VIPs, diplomats, and high profile clients. Today, Byron runs Bravo Research Group, a Christian executive protection company, and founded the Man of Peace Network, a modern day knighthood and discipleship for men who refuse to spend their lives alone.
Byron also opens up about fatherhood, raising warrior children by training their spirit, mind, and body in that order, teaching them context, tactical positioning, and how to see reality clearly. He talks about the power of priesthood, how his relationship with God informs the way he leads his family, and why the Holy Spirit has been his greatest mentor and North Star.
This conversation is raw, emotional, and packed with wisdom about faith, fatherhood, discipline, combat, death, resurrection, and what it means to live a life of purpose after God gives you a second chance. If you're a veteran, a father, or someone searching for meaning in the chaos, this episode will shake you to your core and remind you that your story isn't over yet.
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World Record Sniper Dallas Alexander: The 2.2 Mile Kill Shot & Why He Quit to Sing | AJ Buckley Show Aug 30, 2026

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What happens when a world record sniper who made the longest confirmed kill shot in history at 2.2 miles walks away from the military to become a country music songwriter? This week on The AJ Buckley Show, AJ sits down with Dallas Alexander, a former Canadian Special Operations sniper from JTF2 who traded his rifle for a guitar and never looked back.
Dallas opens up about growing up in a tiny Métis community of 300 people in rural Alberta, playing hockey until junior level, working in the oil fields, and the moment a coworker told him about Canada's tier one special operations unit that changed his life forever. He shares what it was like walking into a recruiting office at 23 years old with zero military knowledge, saying he wanted to join JTF2, getting laughed at by the recruiter, and then grinding through two years in the infantry before earning his shot at selection.
AJ and Dallas dive deep into what selection was like, why the mental game matters more than physical fitness, watching guys who were stronger and faster get sent home in two days, and the warrior spirit that refuses to quit no matter what. Dallas reflects on his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2010, running low vis intelligence operations in Kabul with nothing but a pistol and a radio, riding motorbikes through the city dressed like a local, and the chaos of living in a war zone where VBIEDs and gunfire were part of daily life.
They talk about his transition to the sniper troop, deploying to Iraq in 2014 with the Kurds on the front lines against ISIS, the old school standoff across no man's land, and what it was like to finally put years of training to work. Dallas opens up about the emotional weight of seeing young girls kidnapped and sold into sex slavery by ISIS fighters, the fire in his belly to kill as many of them as possible, and why that tour changed his perspective on service from ego driven adventure to something far deeper.
Then comes the story everyone wants to hear. Dallas walks AJ through the 2017 deployment to Mosul, sitting on top of the bombed out Nineveh Hotel for 52 days, supporting Iraqi forces as they pushed ISIS street by street through the old city, and the day his sniper team sent rounds over two and a half miles downrange. He breaks down the simultaneous shot that dropped a fighter at 3,540 meters, the 10 second flight time, the prism optic from Tacom that changed the game, and why they probably broke the world record five times in one week without even realizing it.
Dallas also shares the story of getting kicked out of the Canadian military for refusing the COVID vaccine, the insane pressure and threats of dishonorable discharge, the lack of medical guidance, and why he stood his ground when the masking rules made no sense. He talks about losing his brother in 2019, picking up a guitar to process the grief, writing songs with the three chords he knew, and the terrifying moment he walked into his first open mic more scared than he ever was on selection day.
AJ and Dallas discuss the healing power of music, staying connected to his brother through songwriting, the inspiration behind his song Adios Amigos and how every line takes him right back to Mosul, and why being honest about pain is what makes great art resonate. This conversation is raw, emotional, and packed with stories about brotherhood, sacrifice, reinvention, and what it means to walk away from one calling to chase another.
If you're a veteran, a music lover, or someone trying to figure out what's next after the hardest chapter of your life, this episode will inspire you to take the leap.
Follow Dallas Alexander
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